The Corkless Mind

Category: Food and Wine

Off the Beeten Track – Why you should Visit the Swartland and Wellington Wine Regions
Why visit the quiet, dusty region of Swartland? I can give you plenty of reasons, starting with their daring winemaking techniques shaking up the wine industry, the picturesque vast landscapes that feel as though you’ve packed up your life and moved to a remote part of Mexico, not to mention the ample lovely places of accommodation in the area. In need of a quiet getaway to gather your thoughts and reflect? This is the place to do just that!

A last minute honeymoon surprise by my husband led us to the ever popular Kalmoesfontein farm, where the renowned A.A Badenhorst winery is situated on. A long and winded gravel road leads you to the farm that has three cottages on with a few more still to come. We stayed in the Silo cottage which has an open-planned farm feel with lots of fresh modern touches to the tranquil space.

Upon check in there was this magnificent picnic spread of cheeses, charcuterie, spreads and freshly baked sourdough bread that was baked on the farm! A picnic basket with a blanket was added in case we decided to take our picnic out on the farm wherever we chose. However, we were so exhausted from all the wine road-tripping that we chose to have our romantic picnic indoors in the comfort of our suite. With no TV, and no mobile devices brought along but lots of books, this place is ideal for the ultimate digital detox, couple getaway or the perfect family vacation for everyone.

We arrived a tad late which to my dismay meant for us that wine tastings were closed for the day/weekend. My dismay quickly turned to joy when the onsite manager Christine organised a bottle of their deliciously popular Secateurs Chenin Blanc for us to make up for no tastings, which proved to be the perfect accompaniment to the leftover cheese board!

A simple yet moreish farm breakfast with the freshest homemade sourdough toast accompanied with locally made relish, marmalade and jams and locally produced coffee that gives you just the kick you need to start off your day on the right footing. Breakfast is catered for by the incredibly warm and friendly staff on site. It is encouraged to roam around freely on the farm (with the main homestead off limits of course) Surrounded by patches of veggies, indigenous fynbos, and trees of plump ruby red pomegranates hanging like baubles on a Christmas tree ready to plucked off.

Our first day, after brekkie, we went wine tripping through Wellington. Stopping by Diemersfontein first to get a taste of their vast offering of wines. I’ve heard so many good things about them but prior to this visit have never been to visit. Well known for their award-winning Pinotage that keeps on racking up plenty of awards every year, Diemersfontein has recently launched another wine label under Thokozani wines.

Thokozani means “a celebration” and is a BEE Based and belonging to the POC Farmworkers. Thokozani prides itself on empowering their staff on the farm by making them shareholders in the company. This is such a great initiative seeing as the South African winelands does not exactly have a glowing reputation in terms of farm labour. They have 6 different wines, 5 of which are under the label Ovation and are available for sale at Woolworths’ Wine section. R65 gets you a tasting of five different wines of your choice. My favourites are the full-bodied Pinotage and the slightly tannic merlot.

The staff behind the tasting counter is incredibly knowledgable about their wines and the region in general, and even offered us a few options on where we should go next. Setting us off with a wine map and a taste for more of what the region has to offer.

Our next stop after a few u-turns, was Andreas Wines. A boutique Winery only specialising in Shiraz winemaking and growing only this varietal on the farm. Situated in the Bovlei valley, just outside of Wellington, this boutique winery is a well hidden gem comprising 4.5 hectares of vineyards, an elegant eighteenth century house and incredibly lush gardens. Having not called ahead and made an appointment for a tasting, the winemaker himself had accommodated us after a Skype call to partners in the U.K. Shaun Meyeridricks, formerly from Boekenhoutskloof (if you’re as much of a fan of their renowned Chocolate Block) Then you’ll want to start planning your visit to book a tasting and maybe even a stay at their luxurious cottages on site!

Shaun is incredibly passionate and not to mention knowledgable about Syrah as a cultivar. We spoke for almost two hours about Andreas wines, it’s origins and of course all things wine in general. The name Andreas was named after a previous owner, which the now new owners and partners from the U.K decided to keep. Booking is essential and tastings cost R45 pp. We tasted the 2015 vintage of Andreas Shiraz. Bruised dark berry, tart plum and a hint of spice on the palate, with incredible length! To say I was infatuated was understatement! If you buy a bottle or like me a case, the price of the tasting falls away. The one thing that really stuck with me after we left Andreas was the warm hospitality of Shaun, and Henry in charge of their lovely accommodation which I cannot wait to stay at next time! Oh and something Shaun mentioned to us “A bottle of wine should tell a story of the day you went to visit the estate.” To me, opening a bottle of Andreas Shiraz will now remind me of our perfect but brief visit to Andreas and how uniquely passionate the winemaker is.

Unfortunately we did not get a chance to visit some of my other favourite wineries in the Swartland area due to monthly or quarterly scheduled tastings. We will certainly be back and this post will then be updated with plenty more wineries to choose from!

On my list was:
- A.A Badenhorst Family Wines
- The Sadie Family
- Testalonga
- David & Nadia
- Mullineux & Leeu
This week Friday I am headed back to the Hemel-en-Aarde region with a few industry professionals to visit Creation Wines. A winery that was on my list when there but sadly had to give it a skip. The excitement is building and I cannot wait to share with you my experience!

And this folks was the end of our honeymoon wine trip!

Happy Wine Wednesday! 🍷

Dominique x
June 12, 2019
Off the Beeten Track – Visit the Hemel-en-Aarde Wine Region

Being a new-found wine geek, I’ve only recently discovered that Walker Bay/Hemel-en-Aarde is renowned for South Africa’s best Pinot Noir and Chardonnay during my recent WSET courses. This left me with a curious palate and a sense of adventure to travel to the wine region. Not knowing the area very well, I opted to stay in an AirBnB close-by to the glorious valley and the sea-side town of Hermanus. This is the second instalment of my three part wine-trip honeymoon series. I wish we had more time to explore all of the regions and wineries in each region but alas reality was calling.

Hemel-en-Aarde is a top cool climate for winemaking in South Africa situated towards Hermanus along the scenic and picturesque R320. There is beauty in abundance in the valley, it definitely feels as though you are between Heaven and Earth.

Hamilton Russell

The most southerly situated wine farm in the region was purchased in 1975 by founder Tim Hamilton Russell. Mr Hamilton Russell is said to have founded the Hemel-en-Aarde region. With his fascination of Pinot Noir as inspiration to bring this soft and delicate gem of a varietal to South Africa. His son, Anthony Hamilton Russell, who took over in 1991 and then buying the property in 1994, narrowed the winery’s range to Pinot noir and Chardonnay only and registered Hamilton Russell Vineyards as an Estate, committing to work only with grapes from their terroir.

We were in a very laidback kind of mood and thus didn’t make any bookings for wine tastings, which is encouraged especially with this region having lots of boutique wineries that sometimes insist on bookings. I would imagine this is because of the small number of staff on the farms. We were lucky enough to show up and have the tasting room manager assist us in an impromptu and very insightful tasting experience. ladies and gentelmen, this was the day I fell head over heels in love with Pinot Noir and Chardonnay! Something for the fellow wine geeks – this region’s soil is made up of a stony, clay-rich, shale-like minerality and is optimal for the growth of varietals produced in this area.

The HR 2018 Pinot Noir has elegant balance and structure, elevated length that carries the delicious notes of dark red fruit, alluring spicy and savoury notes on the palate. Reminiscent of a very good burgundy. The Chardonnay entices with lime, crisp green pear on the nose, has bright natural acid and earthy minerality which the terroir lends to this wonderfully elegant wine. The 2018 Ashborne Pinotage/Cinsault is an unwooded blend of 80% Pinotage and 20% Cinsault and is made from grapes sourced from old vineyards in the Swartland appellation. The richness and depth of the Pinotage is sophistocatedly freshened by the lightness and brightness of the Cinsault. This had me beaming with excitement, as our next wine region stop was the exciting and daring Swartland! With all the wedding gift money we were so lucky to receive ,we left with a few bottles of 2016 Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and the 2018 Ashborne Pinotage/Cinsault, and a few rocks I requested from the tasting room manager that was on display in the charming tasting cottage for reference for my next WSET Level 3 course. This was certainly one of a few highlights of this trip for me. (not the rocks, the wine guys!)

Newton Johnson

A short drive from Hamilton Russell, is the acclaimed Newton Johnson. Like HR racking up local and international awards with the likes of Decanter and Platters is an easy feat with the quality of their wines and passion of their winemakers. Owned and managed by the Newton Johnson family, the farm is situated in the upper Hemel-en-Aarde valley. Well known for their mastery in producing Pinot Noir at its best, they believe in making wine with purity of flavour and natural expression. They offer three ranges of wines, namely the Newton Johnson Family Vineyards Range, The Newton Johnson range, and Felicité by Newton Johnson. The first and second bowled me over. Specifically the Windansea Pinot Noir unfortunately not for tasting and exclusively available only at their winery, originates from a specific block on the Estate, and of course the 2017 Newton Johnson Family Vineyards Pinot Noir which has such bold expressive characteristics and elegant structure.

Soil samples of the three blocks on the vineyard.

Bouchard Finlayson

Home to the 2018 SA Wine Index 100 point award for the elegant Galpin Peak Pinot Noir, the 125-hectare property only has 22 hectares under vine with the rest left wild to conserve the indigenous Fynbos flora. The winery began as collaboration between Paul Bouchard, celebrated Burgundian winemaker, and locally awarded Peter Finlayson. Together, they built what is today world-renowned as Bouchard Finlayson.

The Husband taking in the view

When visiting, the tasting rooms were abuzz with wine-influenced bubbly chatter and laughter, with a few groups of tourists and one or two locals indulging in some leisurely wine-tasting on a weekday. Having only tasted a select few, like the Galpin Peak Pinot Noir which was an interestingly structured with a hint of jammy red fruit. The highlight for me was the legendary Kaaimansgat-Crocodile’s Lair Chardonnay. The Kaaimansgat /Crocodile’s Lair vineyard is hidden away in the Elands Kloof Valley behind the village of Villiersdorp, just 80km from Hermanus. A spot inside a valley nestled amongst majestic mountains. I can certainly see why this winery pulls so many awards! Other cultivars from the farm include Sauvignon Blanc, Sangiovese, Chenin Blanc and Riesling as well as some newer varieties: Nebbiolo, Barbera and Mourvèdre.

Ataraxia

I adore the architecture of the tasting room building of this invigorating winery, incredibly bold, and at the same time traditional like a majestic old chapel. Greek for “a serene state of mind, free from worry and preoccupation”, Ataraxia certainly lives up to the hype and name. This was our last stop in Hemel-en-Aarde with only so much wine I could consume in one day. Make sure to keep hydrated with lots of water (no, wine doesn’t count) and line your tummies with lots of tasty food to soak up all the wine! Please also make the responsible decision to have a designated driver along with you when wine-tripping, so you can really go all out and have as much fun! 🙂

In 2004, The Skyfields Farm was visioned into the Ataraxia wine label when husband and wife team, Kevin and Hanli Grant and a few friends purchased this 47-hectare prime vineyard property situated on a steep slope in upper hemel-en-aarde, with views that only can only dream of if not seen with your own eyes! Okay, Wine geeks fix your eyes, there are fourteen soil types on Ataraxia derived from the deposits of Table Mountain Sandstone, Cape Granite and Bokkeveld Shale. Collectively, all of these deposits make up the geology of the Hemel-en-Aarde region and can be traced back to more than 1000 million years. Interesting stuff, right?!

The 2017 Ataraxia Chardonnay, is an exquisite example of the varietal and this one commands respect, like our insightful wine consultant enthusiastically mentioned. This Chardonnay has bold crisp flavours of green apple peel, lemon zest and vanilla on the nose. The 2016 Pinot Noir is what I had to leave with. It’s intoxicating earthiness, minerality as well as bruised dark fruit made it such an easy choice, but who could choose between these two elegant wines! I adore the ruby red colour, especially glistening in the autumnal sun.

Another highlight of our trip?

Where to eat:

Fisherman’s Cottage

This legendary eatery is listed on the Top 100 Eat Out list as a unique dining experience not to be missed. They come highly recommended to all I’ve spoken to in the know. Don’t leave without trying their famous Seafood Curry!

Again, on a very lax and lazy buzz, because I mean honeymoon! We decided to pop in without phoning ahead to see if we were lucky enough to snag a spot in the local seaside eatery. Upon Entry the restaurant was packed to the rafters for a Tuesday evening, however the chef himself warmly welcomed us in and insisted he make space for us at the best seats in the house, in a little nook right next to the kitchen. Something I appreciate being that close to all the action and intoxicating aromas wafting out of the kitchen. Starters was a plate of fresh West Coast Oysters, a glass of Gabriëlskloof Rosebud Rosé which would prove to pair perfectly with both the starters and the mains which of course was the incredibly delicious seafood curry, served with freshly made naan. My Husband had “the best fish ever” which was a dish of succulent Snoek with sweet potato that had been roasted then fried to a crisp on the outside. The salty, smokey and sweet combination is what he loved but more over the texture of the fish was spot on!

Plaaskombuis

A farm-stall diner with delicious home-cooked meals and old-school thick milkshakes and family-friendly garden outside with a play area for the kids. Conveniently situated along the R320 between the wineries for those looking for a pitstop to fuel up on wholesome deliciousness. They have a cute little store on site, where you can stock up on your trip snacks.

I can’t stress how much you need to visit the valley between Heaven and Earth and the seaside town of Hermanus! I would suggest going in the off peak seasons to benefit from the fact that accommodation would be more affordable and will be a tad bearable if you’re like me and can’t do crowds.

I would suggest calling ahead and booking if you’re in larger groups of 5 or more. I think in our case, we were really lucky to just pop in, especially with the smaller boutique wineries.

Happy International Chardonnay day! What will you be celebrating with?

Dominique x

**This post is not sponsored. All expenses were personally incurred**

May 23, 2019
Off The Beeten Track – Bot River

In my haste to help plan my honeymoon together with my now husband, yes! it’s been just over a month since we said ‘I do’! My head had been full of all of the outlandish ideas of travelling South Africa, maybe even abroad but weddings do cost quite a bit of money. This is when the thought occurred to me whilst sipping on a glass of Saboteur – Luddite “Aha! we’ll go wine tripping!” lucky for me my enthusiastic other half was happily on board with my plans and even planning a secret stay at the end of our blissfull week away.

Where did we go? We started our wine region road trip in Bot River with a stay at the breathtakingly beautiful and secluded Copia Eco Cabins some 7-8 km’s from the sleepy town, and toured some of the wineries in this spectacular region. We moved on to two other wine regions, Hemel-en-Aarde/Walker Bay and the exciting Swartland.

Because we saw and tasted quite a bit in those respective wine regions, I will be breaking it up into three parts per wine region. The name Bot River derives from the meaning ‘Butter River’, where the local Khoi tribe used to sell butter. With just an hours drive from Cape Town you get to feel like you’re in a different country, with small town charm and picture-perfect views. Perfect for a family getaway or a romantic honeymoon.

Copia Eco Cabins

Affordable, high in demand, incredibly beautiful and so serene, our stay at Copia certainly was the ideal breakaway that this city slicker needed. If you love looking after your car as much as we do, then beware of the gravel road with many bumps along the way to the cabin, either take the chance (like we did) or hire an off-roader if you can. I highly recommend booking a stay here but do it at least a good couple of months in advance it tends to fill up very quickly.

Copia provides you with firewood, firelighters, tasty rusks, sugar, coffee, and a few farm fresh eggs. With only one little mini market in the town selling only the basics, so do take a few goodies with you that you could cook on the braai (barbecue) or on the two plate gas stove in the fully equipped modern kitchen. There’s no TV and there’s absolutely no signal out there, perfect for a digital detox! I’d recommend bringing a few good books accompanied with your favourite wines to enjoy on the wood-clad balcony or in the luxurious hot tub overlooking the valley. Top tip: The hot tub is powered by a wood-fired stove, although there are instructions on how to fire it up, it does take a while to master the art of keeping the fire alive, so start a few hours in advance before you plan on soaking it up like a boss.

Gabriëlskloof

Try the Tapas for two that comes with a tasting of their Estate range of about 6 wines. The Tapas and the Rosebud Rosé was by far the highlight of our visit. The tapas board consisted of freshly baked flatbreads, the most fragrant dukkah ever, two types of hummus, the butternut one though! You’ll need a moment of silence for it, pulled pork tacos, and crispy salt and pepper squid, with every morsel and sip of wine, it’s clear that care and thought went into the making of not only the delicious bites of food but their wines too. Did you know? Gabriëlskloof produces their very own olive oil from groves on their farm, they are also renowned for their award-winning old-vine Chenin blanc, Elodie.

Wildekrans

Just a short drive away from Gabriëlskloof we reach Wildekrans Wine Estate. The first thing I notice is the informative board about mountain leopards that roam freely in the nearby woods, just then I had heard a crunch of leaves, my heart starts pounding at the thought that it could be a leopard lurking close by but to my relief it was only a cyclist zooming past. Okay, enough excitement for one day! Here’s why you should visit: the tasting room is situated in the original Cellar building built in 1936, which has been restored to its former glory, the Barrel Select Pinotage which a cool climate Pinotage show elegant complexity with delicious juicy red fruits and dark plum with hints of leather and tobacco on the palate. All this wine tasting can work up a decent appetite, next to the tasting room is their popular restaurant Forage. Sadly the kitchen was closed when we arrived.

Beaumont Family Wines

Hosted by none other than Winemaker Sebastian Beaumont himself. He had sent his staff off to Cape Town for a post-harvest celebration, which meant he was manning the tasting room. We started off with the white wines and worked our way to the reds, my favourite from the first flight is the 2018 Hope Marguerite Chardonnay. My hubby’s fave is the Beaumont Vitruvian red blend. Why the peculiar name? The key component of their 200 yr old water mill is known as a Vitruvian Mill. This is where the inspiration for the name came from. We were lucky enough that it was a quiet time of day in the little town of Bot River that I got to pick Sebastian’s brain about wine, South Africa Wine on the international stage and how we are actually in a league of our own in terms of what we have to offer as a new world wine region. He surprised us with a little memorabilia for our honeymoon, a 2000 vintage bottle of Beaumont Mourvedré! Certainly one of those keepsakes you get to look at but don’t open, given its age. Thank you Sebastian for the hospitality and great memory we will always have!

Luddite

It was at The Shortmarket club that the sommelier had recommended a glass of Luddite Saboteur red blend to accompany the chargrilled lamb rack, and what a match made in heaven! Ever since I’ve been a Luddite fanatic. A year ago, we drove from Cape Town to Bot River just to have a tasting at Luddite and to my surprise the winemaker, Niels Verburg had hosted it himself around the long table with other wine enthusiasts alike. That day we went back home with boxes of our favourite varietals and vintages and a jar of apricot jam that Niels had suggested we absolutely must take home.

This time, having our Luddite wine stash back at home, we knew to make a stop as we headed out of the town to stock up on that delicious jam. Yes, it is just that good! The jam is made from apricots grown on the farm, and made on site too. I highly recommend you take a drive soon to see what i’m talking about.

Eat Out in Bot River

Manny’s Kitchen serves the best damn chicken prego roll and chips I have ever devoured in my 31 years of life! Over the train tracks and what looks like an old train station is The Shuntin’ Shed. The theme is American dinner meets South African bistro. They serve up a mean gourmet burger and their pizzas are pretty good too. Although we never made it out to this vibey spot, The Bot River Hotel has a lovely restaurant which proves to be quiet busy every day.

*These are my own views based on my experience thus this post is not sponsored. All accommodation, tastings etc was at our own expense. *

Cheers!

Dominique x

May 3, 2019
Top 5 things to do in Lamberts Bay this Festive Season.

It’s that time of year again, all the pushing and shoving and craziness in stores. If you’re feeling end of year burn out like most of us are this time of year, why not give yourself a well deserved break from all of the hustle and bustle of city life and get some emergency R&R with your loved ones in the coastal sleepy town of Lamberts Bay. With that said here’s a list of all to see, do and taste in Lambert’s Bay:

Die Plaaskombuis

Enjoy traditional country food (boerekos), seafood, farm breakfasts in a restored farm house more than a century old. It is situated on the scenic farm Steenbokfontein, 9km south of town. Be sure to make a booking first. If you’re lucky enough Tannie Kitta will show you around all the relics in the restaurant accompanied with all the fascinating true stories of the history in the area and how her family came to be in the area. For those wanting to stay a little longer On site are also self-catering cottages on the Steenbokfontein sea farm to enjoy a little R&R by the sea.

Lambert’s Bay Harbour and beach front

Take a leisurely stroll along the harbour and beach. Watch the local fisherman come in with their catch of the day and clean them right on the harbour docks to sell fresh to suppliers through app, Abalobi or private sales.

Walking Tour

Put your walking shoes and learning cap on. Starting at the oldest seaside factory and all throughout the town stopping at local landmarks.

High Tide Restaurant

At the helm of this gem is a Cordon Bleu trained chef. Besides her warm reception, along with that of the staff, Chef Bertina Engelbrecht’s food is seasonal, fresh and inspiring. Being a oenophile, I gladly stopped by the quaint tasting room next door to purchase some of the deliciously crisp Teubes wines that was served in the restaurant. I absolutely couldn’t go all the way home without a little bit of Lamberts Bay in a bottle. I plan to pair my wines with a dish, coming soon to the blog! We were also treated to a professional food and wine pairing. Which reminded me of WSET Level 1. Knowing how salt, umami, sweet and bitter affects wine is life changing and incredibly fascinating.

Visit the Sandveld Museum

The museum houses 15 different exhibits, “Old” Lambert’s Bay, HMS Sybille Gunboat which ran aground in 1901, Photograph collection, Fish industry and fishing community, Book & Bible collection, Archaeological display, Horsemill and Farm implements and Clothes and embroidery from bygone days.

Lamberts Bay has so much coastal charm and I love how locals are always welcoming you with a smile. Certainly worth the drive out of Cape Town, but I would advise to stay a little longer, the tranquility is infectious!

*Information supplied by Lamberts Bay Tourism and West Coast Way**

November 30, 2018
Off the ‘Beeten’ Track pt 2 – The Darling Wine Shop.

The Darling Wine Shop is an amazing Darling gem with so many varietals of wine available for sale, both local and international spoils. Owned by Charles Withington, Charles has over forty years of experience in the South African wine industry, twenty five of which were spent with two large wine estates, and more recently, developing his own brand as négociant, sourcing wines for his own label.

We were invited by Charles to come and visit his wine shop in Darling for a tasting with a side of history and basic wine education for the everyday wine-lover. We started off with a blind wine tasting, one unidentified white and one red. I too eagerly identified the white as a crisp Riesling, the red was a tad tricky to name. The white was a 2018 Groote Post Riesling with refreshingly crisp notes of grapefruit, pineapple and peach with hints of ginger and spice on the palate. The red was to my surprise, one of Charles’ very own, named Roan Ranger, a play on the French region Rhône. A sophisticated blend of Cinsault (65 %), Grenache and Mourvèdre. Although A french inspired blend, the grapes originate from Darling. It is an easy drinking blend and is best served slightly chilled. The Groote Post Riesling I found I grew an instant liking to. It certainly is such a delicious summer treat, best served chilled. I couldn’t leave without going on a little shopping spree in the store. We were also lucky enough to be gifted a bottle of Charles’ Roan Ranger!

Gin was our next tasting, also another Withington speciality. Darlington is a new dry London inspired gin with of course a local touch to truly make it one of Darling’s own. Making use of an indigenous plant Gethyllis aka ‘Koekemakranka’ to blend into their very own Gin. The gin is a straight up, no-nonsense good old traditional kind of gin. I love that you can taste the distinct floral undertones of the Koekemakranka which in the words of Charles “really gives it the true spirit of Darling” We experimented with different flavoured tonics, herbs, fruit and garnishes, which was so much fun getting to taste which paired better with the juniper balanced gin.

I particularly enjoyed picking Charles’ brain regarding local wine knowledge, being a wine geek I feel I could chat about wine, regions and different types of soil and the effects climate has on wine, with him all day, if it were not for the fact that we had to beat traffic on a Friday afternoon!

The wine bottle chandelier, which is one of the first things in the store you notice, is an absolute show stopper. Made by the locally famous artisan, Edmund Tango, who has made quite a reputation for himself in Darling and surrounds. Most of the wood work and welding seen in Darling Brew, Edmund has done, He will also be doing a lot of the work in terms of furniture etc in the new Woodstock brewery too! He has a knack for turning any material into a beautiful work of art.

The store feels like a friendly place I would surely pop in frequently, if I lived nearby. I actually asked Charles to open a store up in Durbanville. The experience of shopping at the Darling Wine Shop is something that I loved more than the actual tastings, which were pretty good might I add! If you’re looking for a personalized wine experience, The Darling Wine Shop is certainly worth the drive and time. Don’t have the time right now? Simply visit their website to order online and have your wines delivered straight to your doorstep – Order online now

Find Darling on the Culture/Tractor Route on West Coast Way

Take a road trip to Darling this weekend to experience The Darling Wine Shop.

Find them at:

5 Main St

Darling

Western Cape

7345

Phone: +27 22 492 3971 or 074 1941 711

** This post was sponsored by The Darling Wine Shop. All views and opinions are my own and have not been influenced in any way.**

November 16, 2018
International Pinotage Day
In celebration of Pinotage day on the 13th October, I paired up with Groot Constantia to make a delicious dish to perfectly pair with their award-winning Pinotage.

Pinotage is a renowned South African cultivar developed by Prof. Perold in 1925, successfully grafting together Pinot noir and Cinsault. Which back then would be known as Hermitage. This is where the name Pinotage originates from. Prof. CJ Theron then took it upon himself to preserve the grape varietal and original seedlings to evaluate the possible success of the varietal. Since then, Pinotage has become a cultivar to be reckoned with both nationally and internationally, with so many local winemakers crafting outstanding creations of this local robust red wine.

I recently attended the internationally recognized WSET course, starting with level 1, in which we were lectured on all the basics of an introduction to wine, storage and service of wine, (my favourite) how to pair food with wine and of course learning a basic WSET systematic approach to tasting. While I do not claim to be versed in pairing just yet, I thought I would experiment and give it a go. Oh, important information I forgot to add, I did indeed pass the course with 80% 🙂 Level 1 is completed in one day, course and examination. Thereafter examination papers are sent to London to be marked by the official WSET markers. After two weeks you then receive your results, a certificate and a lapel pin (if you have passed) corresponding to whichever level you have completed. I am totally impassioned with learning more about wine, and of course tasting as much as I can, I feel I still have so much to learn and discover which excites me further.

Okay, back to Pinotage day! As you may know Groot Constantia is one of my favourite wineries, the cool Constantia valley climate lends to their wine a unique taste and signature to most wines we may know and have tasted. I recently visited their beautiful wine estate for a bit of everything that they have on offer. A wine tasting at the bottom cellar, was of course one of many highlights of my trip. This was when I first had a taste of their pinotage. As mentioned above, because of their location which affects how the grape develops and tastes, this pinotage had intriguing fruity notes of strawberry, black cherry and oak which imparts an intense vanilla after-taste. Incredibly smooth and enveloping in smoky oak and black stone fruit, I think I might have found a favourite Pinotage!

I made a classic Cape Malay bobotie with a bit of a twist to bring out the flavour of both the wine and food. Instead of using beef minced meat, I used Chicken minced meat. An experiment that not many would be happy with in terms of pairing white meat with white wine, but nevertheless it works and marries so well together! The saltiness of the chicken stock and of of course salt added to the chicken gives this tanninc wine the perfect boost and complement. I love how the tart and sweet flavours of the fruit used in the bobotie paired with the mild spice also makes the Pinotage sing.

Chicken Bobotie

Ingredients:
- 1 kg Chicken minced meat (or any minced meat of your choice)
- 2 small- medium onions, chopped
- 2 cloves of garlic, minced
- 100 g raisins
- 100 g dried apricots, chopped finely
- 3 eggs
- 2 slices of stale bread
- 350 g buttermilk
- 1 teaspoon of bobotie spice
- pinch of turmeric
- 1 teaspoon of curry powder
- 2 bay leaves, plus extra to garnish
- 2 tablespoons of Mrs Balls original chutney
- 1 tablespoon tomato jam (or apricot jam as traditionally used)
- a knob of butter to fry
- Salt and white pepper to season.
Method:

In a large pan or pot, melt the butter and add the chopped onions. Cook until translucent. Then add the chicken mince and turn up the heat to brown and give the mince a caramelisation for flavour purposes.Season with salt and white pepper. Whilst the mince is browning, in a bowl, tear the slices of bread into chunks, add 1/4 cup of the buttermilk and 1 beaten egg. Mix to combine then add to the pot of mince.

In another bowl, mix the raisins, chopped apricots, curry powder, bobotie spice mix, 2 bay leaves, chutney and jam. Mix together then add to the pot of mince and stir to combine. Take off the heat.

For the egg mixture, beat the remaining two eggs with the remaining buttermilk with turmeric. Using a flat large spoon even the bobotie mix to be leveled, then pour the egg mixture on top, add the bay leaves in whichever pattern you wish and place the pan/pot(keeping in mind the pan or pot has stainless steel handles, or alternatively place in a casserole dish to be baked in the oven) in the oven at 180 degrees C for 20-25 minutes until the top is cooked until golden brown. Serve with a fresh salad of wild rocket, pickled beetroot and raisins, with a side of savoury rice and of course enjoy with a perfectly paired glass of Groot Constantia Pinotage!

Enjoy and Happy Pinotage day!

Cheers! x

**Source: http://pinotage.co.za/pinotage-day-2018/, https://www.cybercellar.com/blog/lanzerac-the-pioneer-of-pinotage/**
October 12, 2018